Will you be Happy if you Win?

Everything in life is hard. So why not choose your hard?

Personal fulfillment matters and often I find that people, just like electricty, take the path of least resistance without realising the consequences. 

Just like most I started my career by climbing the corporate ladder. Working every year to hit my targets, and strive for excellence as defined by the machine that I was just a cog in. 

Although rewarding in its own right, and damn hard in some aspects, the question you should ask yourself is: if you win at the game you are playing and succeed in the industry you work in, will you be happy? 

Think about someone who is 5 or even 10 years ahead of you (inside your company), maybe your manager or director. Do you truly like the life they live? Because that will most likely be what your life will look like in the years to come. 

There are many truths in live but 2 important ones are: 

1. If it were easy, everyone would do it. 
2. If you want what others don’t have, you must be willing to do the things others won’t do. 

Remember that success does not necessarily equal fulfillment. 

The true question you need to figure out then is: what are you willing to endure to have a successful career that truly fulfills you?  

A study in 2010 by Daniel Kahneman and economist Angus Deaton found that an income higher than $75,000 a year does not improve emotional well-being. The study found that being paid more money did not necessarily have a huge impact on how people evaluate their lives in regards to the joy, stress, sadness, anger, and affection of their daily lives.

Now if you are happy working the “normal” 9-5 then that’s great for you.

But if not, then it may be time to find a different game to play. One in which, if you do win, you will find pride, and happiness in yourself. 

As 2024 begins, give this some thought. There is no right answer or framework for success or fulfillment. 

So ask yourself, will you be happy if you win at the current game of life you are playing?